Part 630 (2/2)

5:19. But G.o.d did not choose the people for the place's sake, but the place for the people's sake.

5:20. And, therefore, the place also itself was made partaker of the evils of the people: but afterwards shall communicate in the good things thereof, and as it was forsaken in the wrath of Almighty G.o.d, shall be exalted again with great glory, when the great Lord shall be reconciled.

5:21. So when Antiochus had taken away out of the temple a thousand and eight hundred talents, he went back in all haste to Antioch, thinking through pride that he might now make the land navigable, and the sea pa.s.sable on foot: such was the haughtiness of his mind.

5:22. He left also governors to afflict the people: at Jerusalem, Philip, a Phrygian by birth, but in manners more barbarous than he that set him there:

5:23. And in Gazarim, Andronicus and Menelaus, who bore a more heavy hand upon the citizens than the rest.

5:24. And whereas he was set against the Jews, he sent that hateful prince, Apollonius, with an army of two and twenty thousand men, commanding him to kill all that were of perfect age, and to sell the women and the younger sort.

5:25. Who, when he was come to Jerusalem, pretending peace, rested till the holy day of the sabbath: and then the Jews keeping holiday, he commanded his men to take arms.

5:26. And he slew all that were come forth to flee: and running through the city with armed men, he destroyed a very great mult.i.tude.

5:27. But Judas Machabeus, who was the tenth, had withdrawn himself into a desert place, and there lived amongst wild beasts in the mountains with his company: and they continued feeding on herbs, that they might not be partakers of the pollution.

Was the tenth... That is, he had nine others in his company.

2 Machabees Chapter 6

Antiochus commands the law to be abolished, sets up an idol in the temple, and persecutes the faithful. The martyrdom of Eleazar.

6:1. But not long after the king sent a certain old man of Antioch, to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers and of G.o.d:

6:2. And to defile the temple that was in Jerusalem, and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius: and that in Garazim of Jupiter Hospitalis, according as they were that inhabited the place.

That in Gazarim... Viz., the temple of the Samaritans. And as they were originally strangers, the name of Hospitalis (which signifies of or belonging to strangers) was applicable to the idol set up in their temple.

6:3. And very bad was this invasion of evils, and grievous to all.

6:4. For the temple was full of the riot and revellings of the Gentiles: and of men lying with lewd women. And women thrust themselves of their accord into the holy places, and brought in things that were not lawful.

6:5. The altar also was filled with unlawful things, which were forbidden by the laws.

6:6. And neither were the sabbaths kept, nor the solemn days of the fathers observed, neither did any man plainly profess himself to be a Jew.

6:7. But they were led by bitter constraint on the king's birthday to the sacrifices: and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, they were compelled to go about crowned with ivy in honour of Bacchus.

6:8. And there went out a decree into the neighbouring cities of the Gentiles, by the suggestion of the Ptolemeans, that they also should act in like manner against the Jews, to oblige them to sacrifice:

6:9. And whosoever would not conform themselves to the ways of the Gentiles, should be put to death: then was misery to be seen.

6:10. For two women were accused to have circ.u.mcised their children: whom, when they had openly led about through the city, with the infants hanging at their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, they threw down headlong from the walls.

6:11. And others that had met together in caves that were near, and were keeping the sabbath day privately, being discovered by Philip, were burnt with fire, because they made a conscience to help themselves with their hands, by reason of the religious observance of the day.

Philip... The governor of Jerusalem.

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